Credit: The Associated Press

FILE - In this March 18, 2004 file picture the leader of Poland’s Catholic church, Archbishop Jozef Michalik, addresses a news conference at the building of Poland’s Episcopate in Warsaw, Poland, after being elected the head of the Polish Episcopal Conference, succeeding the retiring Cardinal Jozef Glemp. Michalik recently came under fierce criticism for appearing to suggest that children are partly to blame for being sexually abused by priests. ( AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Credit: The Associated Press

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2012 file picture the leader of Poland’s Catholic church, Archbishop Jozef Michalik , smiles after signing a milestone document that calls on Poles and Russians to forgive each other past wrongs at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland,. Michalik recently came under fierce criticism for appearing to suggest that children are partly to blame for being sexually abused by priests. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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WARSAW, Poland — The leader of Poland's Catholic Church has come under a wave of condemnation by appearing to suggest that children are partly to blame for being sexually abused by priests.

Archbishop Jozef Michalik, head of Poland's influential Episcopate, was commenting this month on revelations about Polish pedophile priests. A child from a troubled family, Michalik told reporters, "seeks closeness with others and may get lost and may get the other person involved, too."